Question

question 21
which two statements best identify the author’s primary purposes in studying pumas?
a. to learn how to revert pumas’ hunting habits
b. to better protect people and deer from pumas
c. to determine how much pumas need to hunt to survive
d. to better understand humans’ impact on a top predator
e. to develop conservation efforts that protect ecosystems
f. to determine whether pumas pose a threat to neighboring humans

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option based on typical puma - study purposes:

Option A

Reverting pumas' hunting habits is not a typical or ethical goal of studying pumas (hunting is a natural behavior). So A is incorrect.

Option B

Protecting people and deer from pumas is more about management or mitigation, not a primary purpose of studying pumas' ecology/behavior. So B is incorrect.

Option C

Determining how much pumas need to hunt to survive is a key part of understanding their ecological requirements, which is a common purpose of studying them. So C is a valid option.

Option D

Understanding humans' impact on a top predator (pumas) is crucial for conservation and ecological balance, and is a primary purpose of studying pumas in the context of human - wildlife interaction. So D is a valid option.

Option E

Developing conservation efforts to protect ecosystems is a broad goal, and studying pumas (a top predator) helps in understanding ecosystem dynamics for such efforts. But compared to C and D, it is a more indirect purpose. So E is not a primary purpose here.

Option F

Determining if pumas pose a threat to humans is a narrow focus, not a primary purpose of studying pumas (which is more about their ecology, behavior, and interaction with the ecosystem). So F is incorrect.

Answer:

C. to determine how much pumas need to hunt to survive, D. to better understand humans’ impact on a top predator